Bourbon Pecan Pie
Since it’s that time of year, I thought I’d post a truly wonderful pecan pie recipe. Though you’re on your own as to crust. I usually buy a premade crust (I like Trader Joe’s, but use whatever you want) and a 9 inch pie plate. (I know, I know, what a philistine!)
Filling Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
6 ounces golden syrup (Lyle’s Golden Syrup – use one 454g tin. Though I think it also comes in a squeeze bottle…but TRADITION dictates I use the tinned version)
NOTE: If you can’t find Golden Syrup, use dark cane syrup; for those trying to avoid cane syrup, honey makes a good substitute.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tablespoon bourbon (if you like a stronger bourbon taste, use 2 tablespoons – I do!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces Spiced Pecans (recipe follows), coarsely chop 6 ounces of the nuts; leave 2 ounces of nuts whole.
NOTE: you will have left over nuts to snack on. Yay!
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk the eggs, sugar, golden syrup, butter, bourbon, vanilla and salt together until combined. Set aside.
Evenly sprinkle the chopped pecans in the crust and pour the filling on top. Bake for 20 minutes. Place the whole pecans in a border on the edge of the filling. Bake 10 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a cooling rack to room temperature before serving, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
Spiced Pecans
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound pecan halves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Mix the salt, cardamom, cayenne, and cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside.
Toast the nuts in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes until they just start to brown and smell toasted. Add the butter and stir until it melts. Add the spice mixture and stir to combine. Once combined, add both sugars and water, stirring until the mixture thickens and coats the nuts, 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer the nuts to the prepared sheet pan and separate them with a fork or spatula. Allow the nuts to cool completely before placing in an airtight container. Can be stored for up to 3 weeks. Yield: 1 pound.
Berry Cobbler
While I continue to sort through my cruise photos, I thought I’d share this recipe from the cooking class we took aboard the Oosterdam. I made it last night for a family gathering, and it was a hit. I adapted this somewhat from the recipe we received, mostly to convert into measurements familiar to us in the U.S.
Mixed Berry Cobbler
Berry Cobbler (serves 8-12)
Filling:
1 c. sugar (barely a cup, don’t overfill)
1/2 c. cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. water
1.5 lbs mixed berries (fresh or frozen; I used a mix of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries)
1/2 c. bourbon
Dough:
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tblsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tblsp. cold butter
1 c. heavy cream
1 egg
Powdered sugar (for garnish)
Preparation
Dough: Mix all dry ingredients. Cut in butter, under mixture is crumbly. Add cream and mix, being careful not to overmix or dough will be chewy. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours.
Filling: Mix together sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the dry ingredients and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly. Mix in fruit and cook for two more minutes, stirring gently so as not to break up fruit. Remove from heat, add bourbon. Fill lightly greased baking dish 3/4 full.
Roll out dough to about 3/4″ thick and place over dish with berry filling. Make a couple of slits to vent. Brush dough with egg wash. Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes, until dough is golden. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
(Recipe from Holland America)
Best Ever Fish Tacos recipe
Here’s a recipe from one of the cooking demonstrations we attended on our cruise. I made these today for our get-together for my niece’s birthday. And they do live up to their name. These were a big hit. I made double the slaw because it’s good enough to eat on its own.
Best Ever Fish Tacos
What you need: broiled or grilled white fish; tangy cabbage slaw, chipotle sauce, flour tortillas.
For the Fish:
1/2 c. fresh orange juice
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1 tablesp. honey
Kosher salt and pepper
vegetable oil
White fish of your choice (cod, halibut, tilapia, etc.)
Combine orange juice, lime juice and honey. Set aside. Season the fish with salt and pepper and brush with vegetable oil. Broil or grill the fish 10 minutes per inch of fillet (5 minutes per side). Remove and coat with orange juice mixture.
For the Tangy Cabbage Slaw:
1/4 c. seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablesp. sugar
2 tablesp. vegetable oil
1/4 head finely shredded cabbage
1 carrot, shredded
2 tablesp. minced red onion
1 handful cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
(Note: I used a 16 oz bag of Fresh Express 3 Color Deli slaw instead of shredding the cabbage and carrot, because I’m lazy)
In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar and sugar. Heat in microwave for about 40 seconds. Remove and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool. Whisk in oil and set aside. In a medium sized bowl, combine cabbage, carrot, onion and cilantro. Combine with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt pepper. (Note: I added salt, pepper and some celery seed to the dressing BEFORE tossing it with the cabbage.)
For the Chipotle Sauce:
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sour cream or plain yogurt
1 green onion, chopped
1 to 2 tablesp. of the sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
1 tablesp. fresh lime juice
1 tablesp. honey
1 small clove of garlic, pressed
salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. (Note: the can of chipotles I purchased was a bit short on sauce, so I pureed the contents of the can, and then used 1 tablespoon of that for the sauce. One tablespoon makes a flavorful mild sauce; add more chipotle/adobo if you want it spicier.)
Final assembly:
Place a small amount of slaw atop a tortilla. Top with fish and chipotle sauce. Roll and serve along with your favorite condiment (guacamole, pico de gallo, queso blanco, cilantro, onion, lime, whatever floats your boat).
(Recipe from Holland America)
Two Cruising Sisters 
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